Mukil Madanan
Country Manager
Mukil's path crossed with Sophos' during a business meeting, where his industry knowledge and leadership skills made a long-lasting impression. Sophos saw his promise and made him an offer that changed his career forever. As Country Manager, Mukil keeps up his visionary leadership of Sophos, fostering innovation and growth in the fast-paced cybersecurity industry.
Engaging in an idiosyncratic interaction with CEO Insights magazine, Mukil shares his strategies, leadership guidelines, and much more. Let’s delve into it.
What are the professional milestones that you have achieved in your journey so far?
I began as an intern at Emtech Computers in Dubai and worked my way up to become support engineer, Sr. Support Engineer, Project Manager, Project and Service Manager, leading to the Head of Service Department assisting the sales team, also techno commercially. My proven history in Agthia Group of companies, being part of Microsoft Navision project’s core team was exceptionally recognized, in fact it was the first successful implementation of Microsoft Navision in the ME region, which gained good recognition in the Middle East IT world. This experience helped me gain a strong foundation in project management and technical competence. During a period of diminishing revenue – at the time of recession, I was ordered to concentrate on sales, which was a turning point. I evolved a techno-commercial viewpoint that helped me better understand and serve client requirements which improved sales performance for the complete department.
I started at Sophos as an Enterprise Account Manager for the Middle East region. Due to my performance, I was promoted twice: once to Senior Channel Account Manager and once to Country Manager for Oman and Kuwait. I eventually assumed the additional duty of overseeing the region of Qatar.
How do you utilize these experiences to build a brand strategy that enables brand awareness and brand equity among customers?
I begin by having a deep understanding of how the product works and the unique advantages it
has to offer. I will go into detail about its special qualities and how it fulfills a user's demands more effectively than others. After this, I turn my attention to what the market needs. I carry out in-depth market research so that our strategy may be aligned appropriately since every region has different demands and preferences.
My ability to create tactics that truly connect with local clients is due to my understanding of these regional differences. With this knowledge, I draft an engaging story that highlights our product's unique benefits by fusing my technical expertise with its unique selling features (USPs).
I believe having the world's best IT products/ technologies in an organization does not make them 100 percent secure. Every organization’s environment and business flow are different, and it needs to be properly analyzed before providing a solution. I also believe providing a product is not a solution and it should always be offered based on the customer's objective. Having intense knowledge on IT infrastructure, Virtualization and Security helps me understand the customer’s actual environment and their needs. This in turn helps me provide proper solutions to the customer’s Top Management rather than box moving, providing them clarity on what they actually require for securing the ROI.
How do you utilize your expertise in accelerating cross-functional communication with stakeholders to establish realistic goals and expectations for projects or tasks?
My ability to quickly facilitate cross-functional contact with stakeholders is a result of my special combination of sales and technical knowledge. I can ensure that everyone agrees by bridging the gap between departments using this combination. This ability has come in very handy when setting reasonable expectations and goals for projects.
I can convince the management of return on investment (ROI) by succinctly outlining the technical features and how they affect sales. This clarity guarantees that the goals and possible outcomes of the project are understood by all parties involved.
I aim to help people make better decisions by translating intricate technical facts into strategic business concepts. It guarantees that the management can make well-informed decisions by providing a thorough overview of the project's potential.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the metho- dologies you follow as a leader?
My three guiding principles for leadership are to always be improving one self, to embrace change, and to acknowledge the value of time. As nobody has time to wait, I place high value on prompt execution and effective decision-making. We must embrace change, so I make sure that my team and I are flexible and receptive to fresh concepts and advancements.
My focus is on lifelong learning to lead effectively. It is essential to keep abreast of developments and trends in the field. With this expertise, I can talk with authority
True growth lies not in where you start or stay, but in what you learn & apply along the journey
My ability to create tactics that truly connect with local clients is due to my understanding of these regional differences. With this knowledge, I draft an engaging story that highlights our product's unique benefits by fusing my technical expertise with its unique selling features (USPs).
I believe having the world's best IT products/ technologies in an organization does not make them 100 percent secure. Every organization’s environment and business flow are different, and it needs to be properly analyzed before providing a solution. I also believe providing a product is not a solution and it should always be offered based on the customer's objective. Having intense knowledge on IT infrastructure, Virtualization and Security helps me understand the customer’s actual environment and their needs. This in turn helps me provide proper solutions to the customer’s Top Management rather than box moving, providing them clarity on what they actually require for securing the ROI.
How do you utilize your expertise in accelerating cross-functional communication with stakeholders to establish realistic goals and expectations for projects or tasks?
My ability to quickly facilitate cross-functional contact with stakeholders is a result of my special combination of sales and technical knowledge. I can ensure that everyone agrees by bridging the gap between departments using this combination. This ability has come in very handy when setting reasonable expectations and goals for projects.
I can convince the management of return on investment (ROI) by succinctly outlining the technical features and how they affect sales. This clarity guarantees that the goals and possible outcomes of the project are understood by all parties involved.
I aim to help people make better decisions by translating intricate technical facts into strategic business concepts. It guarantees that the management can make well-informed decisions by providing a thorough overview of the project's potential.
Tell us about your leadership approach. What are the metho- dologies you follow as a leader?
My three guiding principles for leadership are to always be improving one self, to embrace change, and to acknowledge the value of time. As nobody has time to wait, I place high value on prompt execution and effective decision-making. We must embrace change, so I make sure that my team and I are flexible and receptive to fresh concepts and advancements.
My focus is on lifelong learning to lead effectively. It is essential to keep abreast of developments and trends in the field. With this expertise, I can talk with authority
and confidence, making sure that my channels and customers know that my goal is to add value rather than closing deals.
I prioritize being transparent and communicating clearly with other members of my team. I inspire a team atmosphere where everyone is committed to our common objectives by clearly outlining the observable advantages for our channels and end users. This strategy not only builds trust but also fosters long-term colla- borations and mutual success.
How do you follow the latest trends happening in the market and stay up-to date?
I rely on both ongoing self-education and professional certificates.I am a certified Black Belt in Sophos, which is a requirement for our internal certification program. This program makes sure I am updated about our products and those of our competitors by providing me with regular updates and information exchange.
Apart from Sophos, I have independently sought other certifications from companies such as VMware, Microsoft, and IBM. I have about 33 qualifications in all. I often participate in industry forums, attend webinars, and read pertinent publications to keep up with the newest advancements and incorporate them into my strategic thinking.
What kinds of impacts do you see yourself creating in your professional journey in the future?
I hope to make a big difference through constant learning and adaptation. Sophos has been a huge help to me with its knowledge base and opportunity for me to advance professionally. I think I am where I am supposed to be, and I appreciate the help I have received.
In the long term, I envision myself returning to India to retire and enjoy a phase of relaxation as I have already travelled across most of the countries learning different cultures, but I also see my career developing further. My goal is to leave a lasting impression on the industry by pushing innovation, taking on new challenges, encouraging teamwork, and supporting my colleagues. My main goal will be to use my exper-tise to promote excellence.
Mukil Madanan, Country Manager, Sophos
Mukil Madanan possessing 30+ certi-fications in the IT segment not limited to having 20+ years of experience in IT industry from Technical to Sales Management Role. 9+ Years experience in UAE market with direct End Customer, 5 Years Channel expertise and Currently functioning as Country Manager for Kuwait, Oman and Qatar carrying a group target and country’s individual target as well.
•Favorite Hobbies:Fishing, Playing Cricket
•Favorite Cuisine:Home Cooked Food
•Favorite Travel Destination: Kerala, Switzerland, The Bahamas, Bulgaria
Awards & Recognition:
•Top Global Performer qualifying for the Presidential Club at Sophos (2018, 2019)
•Top Performer at Sales in the Middle East Region (2017, 2020)
I prioritize being transparent and communicating clearly with other members of my team. I inspire a team atmosphere where everyone is committed to our common objectives by clearly outlining the observable advantages for our channels and end users. This strategy not only builds trust but also fosters long-term colla- borations and mutual success.
How do you follow the latest trends happening in the market and stay up-to date?
I rely on both ongoing self-education and professional certificates.I am a certified Black Belt in Sophos, which is a requirement for our internal certification program. This program makes sure I am updated about our products and those of our competitors by providing me with regular updates and information exchange.
Apart from Sophos, I have independently sought other certifications from companies such as VMware, Microsoft, and IBM. I have about 33 qualifications in all. I often participate in industry forums, attend webinars, and read pertinent publications to keep up with the newest advancements and incorporate them into my strategic thinking.
What kinds of impacts do you see yourself creating in your professional journey in the future?
I hope to make a big difference through constant learning and adaptation. Sophos has been a huge help to me with its knowledge base and opportunity for me to advance professionally. I think I am where I am supposed to be, and I appreciate the help I have received.
In the long term, I envision myself returning to India to retire and enjoy a phase of relaxation as I have already travelled across most of the countries learning different cultures, but I also see my career developing further. My goal is to leave a lasting impression on the industry by pushing innovation, taking on new challenges, encouraging teamwork, and supporting my colleagues. My main goal will be to use my exper-tise to promote excellence.
Mukil Madanan, Country Manager, Sophos
Mukil Madanan possessing 30+ certi-fications in the IT segment not limited to having 20+ years of experience in IT industry from Technical to Sales Management Role. 9+ Years experience in UAE market with direct End Customer, 5 Years Channel expertise and Currently functioning as Country Manager for Kuwait, Oman and Qatar carrying a group target and country’s individual target as well.
•Favorite Hobbies:Fishing, Playing Cricket
•Favorite Cuisine:Home Cooked Food
•Favorite Travel Destination: Kerala, Switzerland, The Bahamas, Bulgaria
Awards & Recognition:
•Top Global Performer qualifying for the Presidential Club at Sophos (2018, 2019)
•Top Performer at Sales in the Middle East Region (2017, 2020)